Breakdown of Wij doen het huishouden vandaag grondig.
wij
we
vandaag
today
doen
to do
het huishouden
the housework / the household
Questions & Answers about Wij doen het huishouden vandaag grondig.
Why is het huishouden placed before vandaag?
Because het huishouden (the housework) is a definite direct object, meaning we are talking about a specific thing indicated by the word het. In Dutch, definite direct objects are placed before adverbs of time, manner, and place.
How would the word order change if we were doing generic "chores" instead of "the housework"?
If the direct object is indefinite (like klusjes - chores, without a specific article like "the"), it is placed after the time and manner adverbs. You would say: Wij doen vandaag grondig klusjes. Notice how the indefinite object is pushed toward the end of the sentence!
Why does vandaag come before grondig?
This follows the standard Dutch TMP rule for adverbs: Time comes before Manner, and Manner comes before Place. vandaag (today) is time, and grondig (thoroughly) is manner, so the time adverb must come first.
Is het huishouden doen a fixed combination?
Yes! Just like in English (to do the housework), Dutch uses the verb doen (to do) rather than maken (to make) when talking about completing chores and general household tasks.